Six more witnesses on Tuesday testified in three corruption cases filed against 47 people, including ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy and daughter Saima Wazed Putul, over alleged irregularities in the allocation of plots in RAJUK’s Purbachal New Town Project.
The witnesses—Sonali Bank Senior Principal Officer (Gonobhaban branch) Gautam Kumar Sikder, Principal Officer Md Shariful Islam, Tax Circle Senior Assistant Md Lutfar Rahman, Computer Operator Md Rezaul Haque, Notice Server Md Abu Taher, and Office Assistant Delwar Hossain—submitted their depositions before Dhaka Special Judge Court-5.
After examining them, Judge Mohammad Abdullah Al Mamun adjourned the hearing of the three cases until September 17, Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) public prosecutor Mir Ahmed Ali Salam told BSS.
Earlier, on August 26, seven seizure-list witnesses, including two ACC deputy directors and an assistant director, testified in the case. The plaintiffs of the three cases—ACC officials Salahuddin, Afnan Jannat Keya, and SM Rashedul Hasan—also gave depositions earlier on August 11.
The court had framed charges against the accused on July 31 and issued arrest warrants as none appeared before it. On the same day, Dhaka Special Judge Court-4 framed charges in three more related cases, setting August 13 for testimony recording.
On July 20, Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Zakir Hossain Galib forwarded the cases to the Special Judge Court for trial as the accused had repeatedly failed to appear despite court orders. Earlier, on July 1, the court ordered a gazette notification summoning 100 accused, including Hasina, her sister Sheikh Rehana, son Sajeeb Wazed Joy, and other family members.
The ACC filed six cases between January 12 and 14, 2025, accusing Hasina and her family of abusing power in obtaining RAJUK plots. Charge sheets were submitted in March.
Among the cases, one filed by ACC Deputy Director Salahuddin accuses Hasina of illegally allocating a 10-katha plot, while others involve her sister Rehana, Rehana’s son Radwan Mujib Siddiq, and daughters Tulip and Azmina Siddiq. Separate cases were also filed against Hasina’s daughter Saima Wazed Putul and other relatives.
MN/
